"Criminals are increasingly turning to the Internet to relieve
consumers of their money and goods as the introduction of Chip
and Pin cards has made credit card fraud harder," said Moneynet
chief executive Richard Brown.

"As more and more people now use online services to send
seasonal gifts, it's worth bearing in mind a few simple points
to make sure that you - and your money - are safe," he added.

Use sites you know and can trust

A good, no-brainer start is to use only reputable sites that you
know and can trust or that have been recommended to you.

Only shop on secure sites

Before using your credit card on any site, make sure that the
site is secure. You can check this by looking for a locked
padlock or unbroken key symbol in the bottom right hand corner
of the window. The URL for the site will also be prefixed by
'https' instead of 'http' once you are in a secure area.

Check bank statements regularly

Always check your statements carefully and look out for any
unusual transactions. If you find anything that doesn't look
right report it to your bank or building society immediately.

Protect your credit cards

Never leave your card lying around or let anyone take copies of
your card.

Keep your PIN safe

Always protect your PIN number and never write it down.

Shred your bank statements and credit card statements

Criminals require surprisingly little information with which to
commit fraud. Invest in a shredder and shred bank statements,
credit card statements and utility bills before disposing of
them.

Print off copies of your orders

Make sure that you understand the terms and conditions of your
order and make sure you understand who is paying for delivery
and what the returns policy is. Print copies from the site so
that you have these to refer to in case of a dispute.

"Follow these fairly simple rules and you should protect
yourself - and avoid the hordes of High Street festive
shoppers," said Brown.

"And remember that nothing is 100% safe - so always stay alert
for anything that seems out of the ordinary and if in any doubt,
don't proceed," he advised.

Moneynet.co.uk ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk )
is the UK's most established personal finance research and data
website. The company offers consumers a wide range of low cost
financial products: from mortgages and personal loans; to car,
home and medical insurance; credit cards; savings accounts and
best-buy fixed rate products. Moneynet.co.uk is an ethical,
impartial and comprehensive source of consumer finance
information, covering the whole of the personal finance sector.

Moneynet was founded in 1997 by Chief Executive Richard Brown
to simplify the personal finance market and provide consumers
with impartial and interactive information on financial products
and services.